Orsknefteorgsintez – All for Battlefield, All for Victory!

The plant was growing at bare steppe and was designed by scientists and engineers as a flagman technically surpassing everything in the industry in the south of the country. The people lacked technical equipment, mechanics, experts and simply operatives but they were full with enthusiasm…

The war has crossed out the reports of crash lines. Plant workers were asking to go to the battlefield. But not everyone was sent there. The country needed oil refining production desperately. People working in workshops neither slept nor ate enough, were dropping in their tracks with tiredness and achieved records for the unique common goal – ‘All for Battlefield, All for Victory!’

As early as in 1941 motor fuel yield increased nearly tree-fold against the before war rate – 35 thousand tons against 12 thousand tons, kerosene – by 50% - 160 thousand tons, there were 104 thousand tons.

In august 1941 three months after the war began State Defense Committee of USSR set a task of building up and launching into operation an automobile engine oil unit. Immediately. Nazi troops had already been approaching Moscow. The decision of plant’s management might not be debated – the  work was to be done in three days!

The people did not leave their work at all – they installed 3 tanks, constructed 2 pumping units, 2 stirrers, installed hundreds meters of pipelines. By putting really enormous heroic efforts they have coped with the task – 12 hours earlier the period planned. But the joy of victory had nearly been overshadowed by a tragedy. A technological brigade had produced automobile engine oil and pumped it into the tank. The first line of tanks to be filled and sent to the front immediately had already been on the oil loading rack when something terrible for those times happened. The pumps turned on but automobile engine oil did not come out – a young worker had left the tap in the tank in a hurry. That was the result of tiredness, exertion and lack of experience. (Many plant workers were really young boys). There was no time for thinking. Having heard a categorical ‘I prohibit you!!!’, expert Aleksey Turkin was quick to mount to the roof of the tank, having ordered two workers – ‘Take up, as soon as I am on surface!’ – he opened the hatch and jumped 4 meters deep into the thick automobile engine oil which had not yet gotten cold. Instants seemed to be endless. Aleksey fumbled for the tap, pushed off the bottom with his leg … As soon as he reached the surface he was immediately taken up by his friends, unconscious.

By the end of 1941 the plant had produced 15 thousand tons of automobile engine oil. Records of mechanical repair shop chief P. Karabuta, expert Turkin, chief for manufacturing A. Karamyan got governmental appreciation. During the Stalingrad battle Karamyan organized the delivery of two trains of oil refining equipment from Batumi. He was appointed the director of the plant since August 1943. He was also awarded with an Order of Lenin and The Red Banner of Labor.

In autumn 1942 the plant workers got a new task from Moscow – to establish lubricants production as soon as possible. Within six months – heroically record period – a new shop # 5 was constructed. The first lot of lubricants was received in December. According to the historical summary those were the days of Hitler troops’ defeat by Stalingrad. New shop’s staff worked really hard for the defense of the Motherland by producing airplane oil MK, MK-3, PMK, MZS, MS. In 1945 the Orsk plant produced 24 thousand tons of airplane oil, having increased the yield 12-fold – 2 thousand tons in 1942.

40 Komsomol youth brigades worked in crucial production sectors. Not only high productivity was characteristic of the staff but also high creative vitality. Engineers and workers made over 500 rationalization proposals; the economic effect of these proposals implementation was over 6 million rubles.

Despite the hard war times they did not stop constructing the plant and ramping up production. During the war time the yield of production was increased 2.5–fold, product line was increased 5–fold. Orsk petrochemists supplied both the battlefield and the rear area with a range of automobile and aircraft motor gasoline, tractor kerosene, automobile engine oil, diesel, airplane oils, fuel oils, etc.

Every third ton of oils for the battlefield was produced in Orsk.

Thee times plant’s staff was awarded with the Red Challenge Banner of USSR Defense Committee, All-Union Central Council of Trade-Unions and  People’s Committee of oil industry of USSR for service to Motherland. 517 plant workers were awarded with medals ´For Valorous Labor during the Great Patriotic War (World War II). 1941-1945.’ The highest honor was Order of Patriotic War of the First Degree which has been awarded to the plant and plant workers.

New generation of Orsk petrochemists tries to stick to and enhance the traditions of their forerunners. The veterans are sincerely respected at plant, plant workers willingly help them and care for them. The generation that has honorably stood the ordeals and saved freedom of the Motherland, the generation that endowed us with happiness of live and work under the peaceful skies deserves enormous respect and gratitude!